PlantFiles: Yellow Prickly-Poppy, Prickly Poppy, Birds In The Bush, Mexican Prickly Poppy, Devil's Fig, Flowerin
Argemone mexicana

Beautiful plant, but very prickly (leaves included), difficult to handle, don't tolerate root disturbance. Erratic germination (after 1 year in natural conditions). The plant decays and die after blooming and set seeds.

This is a plant that not only produces a large number of seeds but they are easy to sprout as well. The seeds are about twice the size of regular poppy seeds. Scatter these on a flowerbed during the spring, sprouts in a week or two at most. Will become more woody in late season. Collect seed when pod is ripe.
Prefers lighter, sandier soil.
Native to Mexico and Southwest US. May be year round grower there in warm climate.
Plant has medicinal and shamanistic history among Aztec.
Do not eat seeds! They contain 2 toxic alkaloids.
Sanguinarine and Dihydrosanguinarine.
Strictly for flower show.

I found this plant growing along a fence/sidewalk (in gravely soil) on the outskirts of campus at ITESM (Tec) in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The flower is wonderful!

Yellow Prickly-Poppy Argemone mexicana is native to Texas and other States.

A drought tolerant annual with blue-green spiny foliage variegated with white. Leaves provide stark contrast to for large (2-2.5"), fragile, sweetly scented flowers that range in color from lemon yellow to light orange. Sap is bright yellow. Considered half-hardy and likes full sun and well-drained soil. Prickly poppy grows paricularly well in hot climates.